Self-Perceived Cognitive Functioning & Item Response Theory

Today, Dr. Scott Sperling and student leader, Ms. Sara Pishdadian, will be discussing the paper, Linking Self-Perceived Cognitive Functioning Questionnaires Using Item Response Theory: The Subjective Cognitive Decline Initiatives, with three of the study authors, Dr. Rabin, Dr. Elbulok-Charcape and Dr. Jones.  In their study, the authors harmonized secondary data from 24 studies and 40 different questionnaires with item response theory (IRT) to identify the items that made the greatest contribution to measurement precision. Data from over 53,000 neuropsychologically intact older adults were included, from 13 English language and 11 non-English (or mixed) language studies. The results have significant implications for the development and use of new self-perceived cognitive functioning questionnaires with high predictive validity for cognitive and clinical outcomes.